Upside Out
by ToastFeather
Summary: Okay, new subject, Reika is merged by Riku and Sora. Soon after they return to the island, havoc wreaks and heartstrings tug. Will Sora choose between Kairi and Reika? Will Reika's others destroy her? Will Riku get a haircut?..............................
1. Meeting the giantess

_Aah…morning already?_

Annah blinked as she rose from her light slumber. Yawning slightly while giving a catlike stretch, the lanky redhead swung her legs over the side and onto the blue carpet of her bedroom. No.1300, in the huge building she called "Home", **St. Jimmy's Memorial Asylum for Minors**.

_Mina-san hasn't stopped by yet…I wonder what she's doing? _

Annah gave another stretch as the polished white door opened some to reveal a large blonde in a nurse's outfit. "Mina!" Annah rushed to her friend and nurse, hardly wrapping her thin arms around the woman. "Annah, have you been cleaning?" she gazed around the room with steady blue eyes.

"Yes Mina, Tasha came by yesterday to help…" Annah grinned as Mina stepped back.

"My how you've grown…Just look how big you are! Six feet tall and still growing…It's a wonder you haven't got roots and leaves…" Annah laughed and ran to her canvas.

"Oh Annah…I've asked some nice friends to come and play, hurry and get dressed so we can go meet them…" Annah paused and continued to paint, "Annah is happy just being alone today…"

_That's not true…I want to meet them…but…No, they'll just make fun of me…_

Mina sighed, "Annah…I know you're smarter than you look…I just...don't understand why you've been admitted…keep playing stupid and you'll never leave the hole…"

Annah stopped and turned, "Mina…Annah has another, they told us, Annah is two Annahs. But the other Annah is not nice…That's why..."

A few minutes later, Annah bounded out of her closet in blue jeans and a black shirt, as always, they were ripped and ragged. "Annah is ready…" she said with hesitation,

_Annah will let Crow out, just to scare them…Yes…Crow will be happy…**Heh, good gal Ann, now we'll have some fun…**But…Annah wants to meet them first…_

_**Fine…**_

Mina led her down the long hallway to the gardens down below, where Annah could see a few of the other children fawning over the "Friends" **_Look at them…like…bugs…let me squash them…filthy humans…_** Annah shook her head and continued to watch as they neared the group. Mina gestured to two boys, about a foot shorter than Annah herself. "Ha…Annah is taller…and bigger…."she muttered as they approached. She looked down at her chest and legs, Mina gave her a thump on the shoulder for the bad attitude.

One of the boys had long dripping locks of silver cascading around his face as icy blue eyes peered up at her, "Uh…big girl!" the other loosened his collar as she turned to examine him. Gangly runt, with gelled brown hair and deeper eyes. "Annah, this is Riku and Sora…They volunteered." Sparks of tension and nervousness flung heavily around them.


	2. Flying away

Annah stuck her bottom lip out and let it quiver as she watched the two beautiful human boys encircle her, "Yes, Mina, we'll be good, I promise!" she perked as she grabbed them both and wrapped them in a gripping hug. "Aaann-ah! Can't Brea-the!" Sora choked and laughed as she let go. "Oh, sorry…" Annah's bright green eyes surveyed over Sora's face for a moment, then they rested on Riku.

"You are human...Yes?" she queried Riku, with a slight hint of sadness in her voice. "Yeah…we both are…Why do you ask?" Sora answered for him, "Annah? How old are you?" Riku furrowed a light silver brow, cold gaze becoming more warm and friendly towards her. Annah counted off her fingers, "I am not sure…Annah has been here since she was very small…"

Sora stood on tip toe to meet her emeralds with his sapphires. "Why do you talk like that? I get a hint you're not retarded…." Riku snorted and followed as she led hem towards her room. Annah smirked, "**Annah is not fully herself anymore…"**came a deeper, woman's voice from the girl's throat. "**I am another part of her…if we merge…then she will be whole…Annah or myself will be no more…**" When they reached the room, Sora gasped of surprise and caught her as she fell.

"Sora…do you have any idea…that she might not belong here?" Riku smirked as he stood by his comrade's side, "Yeah…she needs to fix that split persona…shall we?"

Sora gestured politely to the sleeping girl, "Your turn first!" A bright smile exchanged as they completed a spell of merging…

**For the two hearts must be one or none at all….**

_Unh…who am I? Where am I?_

"Hey! She's awake!" Sora knelt by the new girl's side to grin and wave his friend over. "Do you remember anything?" Riku helped her to her own very wobbly feet. "No…just that you two seem strangely familiar…" They both nodded with precise unison. "Well…you do need a name…Riku?" Sora turned to his friend again, as if conversing with thought. "Reika…that's a name I haven't heard in a while…" he nodded, as if claiming her as that one Name.

**You can't be anyone else, for they are already taken….**

"Reika? Is that who I am?" the newly christened Reika pushed back a thick lock of shimmering orange-blonde, revealing a light coat of freckles. "Yes, I am Reika…"

Sora laughed and took her by the arm, Riku on the other side. "Shall we go and get some ice cream? Then we'll show you where your new home is…"

Reika smiled, melting both boys into glue, thankfully, the merging had shrunken her by a foot. "Yes…but tell me…what is this…Iced Cream?"


	3. A Moonlit Stroll

As the trio frolicked (yes, I know a few who do frolic) towards the boat ramp, they laughed. Letting go of Sora and Riku, she stopped at the water's edge. "So…we go…out there?" she pointed towards the sea, Riku nodded as she turned her head, finger still extended.

"Yeah, but...we need to find the ship…Sora, what time did the captain say to be back?" Sora shrugged as Riku growled and started searching for **The Winged Caravan**, their ship. Reika bounded towards Sora, "I've never been around here before…please, what is your name?"

At that precise moment, with excellent timing, the **Caravan** sailed through the misty bay. "Ahoy Riku-kun!" called a girl's voice from the deck. Leaning over the finely polished cherry wood railing, was Selphie. Riku cheered and Sora thanked the gods that his "**friend**" did not pummel him into a very bloody pulp.

Boarding the huge ship, Reika, Sora and Riku were greeted by cheers and whoops. "Heeeeey! Who's the hottie Sora!" Tidus called from the port, a large goofy grin that could only be achieved by someone of his stupidity sat plastered to his face, then, out of nowhere, he was tackled by Yuna.

Sora blushed crimson as Reika hopped onto his shoulders for a piggy-back. Kairi scowled as she watched the group rejoice, and once again, began plotting her revenge on the new girl.

_Hmmm… she seems so innocent, that's it! I'll trick her into asking Sora out, she's so blunt that she'll not know what hit her…being Sora such a good guy and all, he can't refuse…then I can come in and…make him feel sorry for me! Yes, it's all too perfect…_

A huge outburst of maniacal laughter could be heard for miles around as the party hesitated for a moment to glance at Kairi, "Uh, did somebody forget their meds today?" Wakka teased, he soon wished he hadn't. Kairi fell in from above and went into a rage, "NOOOOO MY HAIR! AAGGH!" the party continued ignoring the scene.

Reika rubbed her fingers through Sora's hair, causing it to frizz with static electricity. "Hey! What're you doing Reika? I just gelled my hair this morning!" he laughed as she continued to make it stand on end. "I like your hair, it's short and pointy!" wrapping her orange braids forwards onto his shoulders, she pointed towards the galley, "March! Ten hut! Soldier, you are the biggest slob I've ever seen!" she commanded in her drill sergeant voice. "Yes Ma'am!" he snapped up straight and spun around so they were both equally dizzy.

After everyone had retired to their bunks, Sora was busy hurling up everything he'd consumed (Junk food, soda, PIE! Ect….) overboard. Wiping his mouth with his sweater sleeve, he groaned. "Sora-kun?" he heard a light voice from the other side of the ship.

Sitting up, he could recognize those emeralds and braids anywhere. "Rei? What's up? Is something wrong?" Getting to his feet, Sora walked to the other side of the boat. "No...it's nothing…but...the stars! Aren't they beautiful!" She shivered, watching the sparkling lights and the moon that hung overhead, beaming good-naturedly.

Sora laughed, "Yeah…they are…We used to gaze up at the stars…dream about different worlds…" she turned to face him, a sad, hollow gaze that could pierce your soul upon her eyes and mouth. "Don't you think...maybe…this is a dream? Just sometimes? Doesn't it seem too good to be true?" light silvery tears began to drip as she followed back to the stars.

Riku sat up in bed, hitting the ceiling and falling out of his top bunk to where Wakka had already toppled out of bed. "Unh…Jeez, Wakka, you're a log!" he grunted and made his way to the deck. Still half asleep, "Sora? Rei? What're you guys doing up?" And...why are you crying?" Sora furrowed a brow and shrugged, and then jogged back to his economy sized ironing board.

"Reika is okay…just remembering…and learning…" she bounded off towards her cabin that she shared with Selphie, knowing it was too early to start another deep conversation.

Riku sighed and was once again, alone…so he shrugged and played his harmonica to the blues.


	4. Others

It had been a few days before the **Caravan** arrived at the islands. Reika had been getting along well with the others; this was going to be a lasting friendship.

After the first day on the island, she had made friends with the mayor and all the local shopkeepers and parents. The girl had a certain charm that many adults see only in five or six year olds. Many of the islanders adored her for a child, the elderly saw her as a child they never had, and the children saw a very large playmate.

_**What…was this feeling? It was like…just for a minute…My heart…**_

**_Stopped…_**

"Ouch!" Reika bit down on her fingertip after accidentally pricking it, her needle and cloth still in hand. Sora poked his head up the stairs of the treehouse, "Ouch what?" he grinned as she hurriedly shoved her project into her pocket. "It's okay, I won't tell what you're making..." he shoved small duffel through the entry as he pulled himself up.

Reika stuck her bottom lip out, "But Soraaaaa!" her protest becoming whiny," If I show you, what do you expect for your birthday!" she tackled him, "So what's in the bag?" Giving her a playful shove, he sat up, Rei still clinging to him.

_Wh-what's…this feeling? How come I feel so nervous? Uh…_

Reika pushed off of him, "Uh…" her cheeks flared as she backed into the other wall. "Uh, I gotta go…" she scrambled out the exit and down the rope ladder, rungs clicking against the tree. Sora blinked in surprise, then, feeling his own temple flash-fire, he realized he'd never been that close to a girl. "Wow…" he muttered to himself as he unzipped the bag, pulling out a water bottle, he gazed off, reliving the moment, one thousandth at a time.

As Reika hurried towards the dock, she barely stopped to wave at Riku, a worried expression on her face. "Rei?" he called as she sped to the water.

Wading knee deep in the water, was her other. Her Crow. "Crow…why did you come back for me? I can't…" Crow turned and gazed at the twin with empty steel eyes. Tears welled and trickled down Rei's cheeks. "**_I know Rei…you left me…me and Annah…_**"

A bolt of lightning seemed to surround the scene. Lighting the darkest crevices of both their hearts. "No! I never left you and Annah…but soon I will…I will leave you! Find my memory…and breathe again..."

Crow was gone in an instant and soon beside her side; "_I know…" _she whispered and embraced the twin with relish before disappearing completely. Reika dropped to her knees, stunned and broken.

Riku ran down the beachside with Sora, both boys searching for the same person. "Rei?"

"Reikaaaa!" a silent beckoning drew them to where she sat. A darkened sky above whirled and gurgled ominously. "R-.." Sora stopped short, watching a thick black pool of quivering empty ink-like creatures bubble up before her. "Reika! Run!" but before he knew it...Riku, Reika, the storm, the island, his friends…all he knew and cherished…

_Vanished_

Author's note: Yeah yeah, I don't own anything but Annah, Crow and Rei-san. The story is something I've waited to do…Now review before I eat your innards! I'm not sending another chapter until you do!


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